Australian job ads go up 2.8% in April

Healthcare job ads were a 'drag' on national growth

Australian job ads go up 2.8% in April

Job ads in Australia went up 2.8% month-on-month in April, despite healthcare job ads being a "drag," according to the latest ANZ-Indeed data.

The increase comes after a one per cent dip recorded in March and a 2.8% decline in February.

"2023's downward trend in ANZ-Indeed Job Ads has stalled in 2024, at least for now," said ANZ Economist Madeline Dunk in a statement.

"The series has risen 3.9% since its recent trough in November last year, and the three-month moving average has been steady over the past few months."

Annually, job ads are down -6.6%, but are 36.5% higher than the 2019 average.

Job ads by location, sector

By sector, job ads in the healthcare industry pulled down the data in April, according to Indeed senior economist Callam Pickering.

"Healthcare job ads were a drag on national growth in April, led by nursing and physicians, but what is expected to be short-lived," Pickering said in a statement.

"This was offset in April by relatively broad-based growth elsewhere."

On yearly difference, Pickering said job ads are "still down across most sectors," thanks to declines in software development, management, and administration opportunities.

By location, Pickering said job ads were strong in South Australia, Western Australia, and Queensland. They were weaker in New South Wales.